Pinson votes to rezone land for Kellogg’s warehouse

PINSON — The Pinson City Council voted against a rezoning proposal for a stretch of land near Pinson Valley High School in April, but after taking a month to re-weigh the situation, the council on Thursday elected to pass the action that will make the land at 7068 Highway 75 industrial, allowing the construction of a Kellogg’s cereal products warehouse.

Some Pinson citizens fear that the decision will decrease property values and deface the original look of Pinson.

Pinson City Hallfile photo by Gary Lloyd

“I don’t have a problem with us having business in Pinson, but I just don’t think that’s an appropriate place,” said Pinson resident Anita Ragsdale.

Fellow Pinson citizen Jane Bradford also voiced her opinion.

“I don’t want to walk out my front door and go down the hill and see (the warehouse),” Bradford said. “I don’t care how many trees you put in there, it’s not going to keep me from seeing it and this will cause my property value to go down.”

Jason Stidham, the owner of the property, disagrees with Bradford. He has said the warehouse will be quiet, hidden from view by trees, as non-intrusive as possible and as far away on the property from housing as possible.

The motion passed Thursday night by a 5-1 vote. Mayor Hoyt Sanders voted against it. City council members John Churchwell, Joe Cochran, Dawn Tanner, Robbie Roberts and Joy McCain said yes to the rezoning.

In April for the original vote, which was denied by a 3-2 vote, Tanner, Roberts and McCain all voted for the rezoning. Sanders and Churchwell voted against it. Cochran was absent for the April vote. Four votes — a 2/3 majority — were needed to pass.